People living and visiting Rotorua’s Eastside can look forward to more options on how they move around with the next stage of transport upgrades to SH30/Te Ngae Road about to start.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Regional Manager Infrastructure Delivery, Jo Wilton, says the upgrade aims to make it easier for people to safely navigate around Eastside by providing better travel choices and accommodating future growth along one of the main corridors in Rotorua.
“The improvements we are constructing in Rotorua are an important next step to support growth in Eastside and Rotorua as a whole. We need to build a modern transport system with a mix of reliable transport options that helps keep people and products moving safely,” Ms Wilton says.
Stage Two will advance the improvements people already experience between Sala Street and Iles Road (Stage One). This section, between Iles and Coulter roads, will see four lanes between Iles and Basley Roads, and Brent and Ōwhata roads; upgrades to key intersections; improved bus stops and shelters; new pedestrian crossings, shared paths and on-road cycle lanes.
“A priority is to make it easier and safer for people to travel by bus or walk and cycle and to reduce the need for people to travel in their cars. To give people choices.
“This is an important project for the Eastside community. The SH30 Stage Two project is a significant investment in the district which will help to address growth, as well as existing safety, access and congestion issues.”
Stavros Michael, Rotorua Lakes Council Deputy CE Infrastructure and Environment, says the upgrades to the city’s eastern roading corridor are vital to enable much-needed housing, improve the safety of this key transport route and provide safe walking and cycling facilities to add to the city’s growing network of shared paths.
“We have some major housing developments happening in this part of our city and ensuring we have the infrastructure to support that is critical. We look forward to ongoing improvements for the benefit of our community.”
Downer NZ will be undertaking the works, with enabling works already underway, investigations to identify underground services completed, and main construction about to start.
“Downer brings significant experience to the project, having previously built the SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage One project,” Ms Wilton says.
Downer NZ General Manager Transport Projects Tony Pike says the team in Rotorua are primed to start Stage Two and will apply the learnings from Stage One to successfully get the job done.
“We are proud of the great job our team did on Stage One. It’s a real credit to the team that we managed the challenges presented with undergrounding existing services, removing the Tarawera roundabout and installing traffic lights in a live traffic environment,” Mr Pike says.
“The team built strong, enduring relationships within the community and we look forward to working with mana whenua and the wider community on this project.”
From mid-June, people will see temporary traffic management put in place, including lane shifts and off-peak shoulder closures, on the lake side of SH30/Te Ngae Road, between Iles and Basley roads.
Works will include the removal of concrete pedestrian islands, laying temporary asphalt and line markings to allow for lane shifts and to create a cycle lane, before installing temporary safety barriers.
Earthworks are expected to start between Iles and Basley roads later in the month and include removing the existing berm and footpath and excavating a trench to relocate services and underground existing overhead power lines, which will enable the road to be widened. This work also includes installing new water mains on behalf of Rotorua Lakes Council.
Ms Wilton emphasises the importance of safety of all road users when undertaking projects in a live traffic environment.
“Our traffic management planning considers all modes of transport – people walking, cycling, driving and taking the bus. We are determined to continuously make improvements to minimise the impact on everyone while keeping road workers and road users safe,” Ms Wilton says.
Traffic management will be set up throughout the work site between 7am to 6pm on weekdays to ensure contractors are able to work safely and efficiently. Plans will be in place to minimise delays through work sites during peak hours. A 50km/h temporary speed limit will be in place.
Most of this work is expected to take place in the road shoulder to reduce impact on traffic. Road users should plan for minor delays however lanes will remain open in both directions, and access for people walking and cycling provided. Works are weather dependent.
The first phase between Iles and Coulter roads received $35 million from the Government’s Crown Infrastructure Partners funding for construction to support growth and development in Eastside Rotorua. The project is expected to take about 22 months to complete.
The upgrade aims to:
Phase One key improvements:
SH30 Eastern Corridor – Stage Two
